What happened, where and when?
In 2023, Costa Rica faced a worrying increase in the number of dengue cases, a situation that alerted the country's health authorities. This increase was associated with a variety of factors, including favorable climatic conditions such as heat and humidity, which favored the proliferation of mosquito breeding sites (1).
Dengue, the most prevalent arbovirosis in the Region of the Americas, presents cyclical outbreaks every 3 to 5 years. All four virus serotypes (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4) circulate in Central America. In 2023, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua reported simultaneous circulation of these serotypes (2).
On September 6, 2023, Costa Rica issued a health alert due to a significant increase in dengue cases, based on epidemiological week 34 (August 20-26), where 8,261 cases were reported, almost double the number from the same date the previous year, increasing 42% from 4,780 cases in 2022 (3).
The Ministry of Health also called on key social actors, such as municipal governments, the Ministry of Public Education, community organizations, the tourism sector, and the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, to join the actions to contain and prevent dengue. The population was encouraged to control and eliminate possible mosquito breeding sites and to be attentive to the ministry's recommendations.
On October 11, the Ministry of Health formally requested the collaboration of the Costa Rican Red Cross to support the response to the health alert. This collaboration focused on public education activities, prevention, elimination of breeding sites, use of larvicides, and support in fumigation campaigns, especially in the most affected provinces: Puntarenas (Central North region), Limón (Huetar Caribe region), Heredia (Chorotega region), and Alajuela (Central Pacific region).
The management of dengue in Costa Rica during 2023 highlighted the importance of the collaboration between the Costa Rican Red Cross and the Ministry of Health. This alliance was key to addressing the challenge from different fronts: prevention, education, and rapid response. The contribution of the National Society in mobilizing resources and volunteers was crucial, especially in high-risk areas, contributing to the establishment of a solid model of collaboration for future public health interventions in the country.